hairyhandedfool
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Apr 2008
- Messages
- 8,837
Earlier in the year I had a day free from work to do what I wanted, I decided on a trip to London, but what could I do while I was there? I decided on a challenge to visit every 'London Terminal' station, using the underground would be too easy and where is the fun in walking everywhere? So it had to be travelling by train to get around. As the plans started formulating it became clear that visiting every station in the day would be a challenge too far, so I limited myself to travelling on a train to, from or through the London Terminals. Even then it seemed difficult to get around London without walking at some point, so I had to plan two walks during the day.
Off to London
It was an early start to get to London, 150138 and 175007 were the first trains of the day and helped me to Warrington Bank Quay for the 0638 to Birmingham New Street, formed of 221118. With Marylebone being the hardest to plan in for this trip, I headed there first. 220021 took me from Birmingham to Banbury, just in time for the 0900 to Marylebone, 168215 is my ride to the capital and it gets in just before ten.
Round and round and round I go....
At Marylebone I have twenty five minutes to buy the travelcard, extensions and split tickets I need for the rest of the day, and some breakfast. The 1025 is in the hands of 165006 and it takes me to South Ruislip. The ticket inspector gets off their too and asks if I'm there for the 1102 to Paddington, "yes" I respond, "I thought so" he continued and then makes his way off the platform for the twenty or so minutes before it arrives. I can only assume it's only a certain type of person who really uses this train.
At Paddington, I head for the 1150 service which will take me to Slough, a filthy 166202 has the duty and arrives bang on time and on the fast line platform, providing easy access to 165129 on the Windsor & Eton Branch. The 165 arrives about on time at Central station (1216) and leaves me just 7 minutes to get across town to Riverside station.
Fortunately I make it, just, I'm the last one on and the doors shut right after I board through the first set of doors. It is 450561 and 450543 on this run to Waterloo and I make my way through to the first coach for a quick getaway in London.
At Waterloo things are chaotic, there has clearly been problems of some sort. I had planned to take the 1324 departure, but I have no-idea if I actually got this train or not. I find the train I think is the right one, but it appears empty, The guard of the train on the adjacent platform calls over, his train going right now, so I hop on quickly and away we go. It is 450557 and I get to Clapham Junction in time for the 1338 to Victoria.
It is formed of 377123 and 377118, once again I head to the front for the best exit at the terminus. On arrival it appears my luck is in, the 1353 is in the Adjacent platform and it's my next service. 377466 is in charge and it whisks me to East Croydon. I have to change platforms at Croydon though and miss a train as a result, it's fine though as it would have been an earlier train than planned, I think it must have been running late. My train to London Bridge is the 1417 to Bedford (319454). It arrives at London Bridge on Platform 6 and a quick study of the departure board shows I have a train in five minutes on the same platform. It is 465023 and it is headed to Charing Cross. I arrive at 1443 and my luck is in again, the 1447 back to London Bridge is again on the adjacent platform.
465249 and 465013 are in charge and swiftly(ish) get me back to London Bridge in time for the 1501 to Cannon Street, another 465 (036). Fortune is smiling on me today and another cross platform change sees me leaving on 465193 a minute after the scheduled arrival of 465036. Back at London Bridge I am about 15 minutes ahead of time and decide to catch up with an old friend who now works there. It's been 8 years since we last saw each other and it takes him a few minutes to realise who I am.
I can't stop to chat too long though (I probably could have talked all day), I have to be on the 1530 to St Pancras, 377519 is the first 377/5 I have travelled on and to be honest, I think I prefer the 319s (shhhh!). At St Pancras I have the second, and most obvious, of my two planned walks, across the road to Kings Cross.
I just have time to grab a quick tea and sandwich before boarding the 1606, 365539, for the quick ride to Finsbury Park. The 1618 from Finsbury Park to Moorgate is, rather predictably, a 313, 052 leading another 313 that I never did get the number of. They arrive ever so slightly early into Moorgate and I get the chance to nip across for the 1633 (313042 and 313030) to Highbury and Islington.
Another first for me is a ride on a 378, the 1647 to Stratford is formed of 378234 and it is rammed, there is barely enough room for all the passengers and myself to get on, but clearly they are practiced in the art of using commuter trains. I make a quick change at Stratford onto the 1709 to Liverpool Street, a pair of 315s (848 & 810), and then board the 1722, another pair of 315s (834 & 828), to Romford.
Again I find I am 15 minutes ahead of plan, but my next service is every 30 minutes, so I end up back on time and on board 317513 for the 1811 service to Upminster. I have an almost leisurely 11 minutes at Upminster to get to the 1831 departure for Fenchurch Street, formed of 357203 and 357032. I search around for a departure board at Fenchurch Street to find my next service, the 1902, and discover it is the very units I have just alighted. It departs on time and I alight the train for the second time at Barking.
I head over to the 'Goblin' platform and narrowly miss the 1917, so I have to wait for the 1932, it is my planned train, so no harm done. It arrives in the form of 172008 and is just able to keep to time as it winds it's way across North West London. At Gospel Oak I notice a few people make a dash along the platform and as I get off I notice why, a 378 is approaching, so I join the dash and get onboard 378232, forming the 2010 service, which I leave at Willesden Junction. I note I'm ahead of time again and have a seven minute connection now for a train to Euston, 378228 obliges with an on time departure.
Trouble at Euston
Arrival at Euston was at about ten to nine, a full half hour ahead of schedule. I had planned on getting the 2200 to Manchester Piccadilly as it was the cheapest option for splits between that and the 2140, but the early arrival either meant an hour at Euston or trying to sort an excess fare for use on the 2100 or 2140. I had heard some stories about the Virgin Ticket office here, but I still didn't expect what I got.
The ticket office was rather emptier than I expected and I got to a sales point quite quickly, but the pleasant surprises ended there. I explained that I wanted to get an earlier service and that I had split tickets, I just wanted to excess one of them to get me home. The clerk explained that they couldn't excess splits, "it isn't possible", etc. I tried to explain that I only needed to excess one of my tickets. I showed him the Travelcard, excess to Milton Keynes and the Milton Keynes-Rugby ticket I wanted to excess, telling him I would 'write-off' the other four tickets I had in order to travel earlier.
He wouldn't have it, and then expanded on the validity of my Travelcard and extension ticket. "This isn't valid on Virgin Trains" he claimed, "and so this [extension] ticket isn't because, well, where is Boundary Zone 6? And you shouldn't really have this [extension] ticket because they are only for season tickets". I gave up, and said I'd just wait for the 2200, to which he claimed I'd be challenged about the Travelcard. I only replied I'd take my chances and left the ticket office with my tickets.
I had no intention of waiting around though, I'd speak the Train Manager on the train. It was too late though, it was already 2059, so I searched the departure board again.
Homeward bound
I saw a 2107 to Liverpool, it didn't make all the stops I needed it to for my tickets to be valid, but I could get to Milton Keynes if nothing else, I'd be happy to wait there if nothing fruitful came from the TM, and if all went well I could get to Crewe, there had to be a Manchester bound train from there. The Train Manager was obviously busy and never made it to me to check my tickets before we got to Crewe, it was a bit risky to stay on board, but I figured I had most of the tickets I needed and at worst would have two excess fares to pay to cover the journey.
I left 390020 to search the departure boards at Crewe, sure enough there was an Arriva service timed fifteen minutes later, though it was running late. I had another ticket issue though, I hadn't planned on using the ATW train and had a VT Only ticket. The ticket office at Crewe had seemingly shut a while ago so I had to see the TM onboard about a new ticket.
The Train Manager did not make their way through 158828 on the whole trip to Piccadilly and so I had effectively had a free trip, the ticket office at Piccadilly had long closed for the night and there was no ticket staff around.
I made my way to Piccadilly Gardens to search for the bus home, but having just missed one, I ended up on the tram instead (with a newly purchased ticket from the machine), eventually getting home some five hours before I had to be up for work.
At the end of the day
I'd had a good day really, timings could have been better, maybe I could have made the elusive 'no walking' plan I had in my mind, but that is for another day I guess. The trouble at Euston had left a sour taste in the mouth, but putting that aside I would probably do the trip again some time, maybe with a bigger budget.....
Off to London
It was an early start to get to London, 150138 and 175007 were the first trains of the day and helped me to Warrington Bank Quay for the 0638 to Birmingham New Street, formed of 221118. With Marylebone being the hardest to plan in for this trip, I headed there first. 220021 took me from Birmingham to Banbury, just in time for the 0900 to Marylebone, 168215 is my ride to the capital and it gets in just before ten.
Round and round and round I go....
At Marylebone I have twenty five minutes to buy the travelcard, extensions and split tickets I need for the rest of the day, and some breakfast. The 1025 is in the hands of 165006 and it takes me to South Ruislip. The ticket inspector gets off their too and asks if I'm there for the 1102 to Paddington, "yes" I respond, "I thought so" he continued and then makes his way off the platform for the twenty or so minutes before it arrives. I can only assume it's only a certain type of person who really uses this train.
At Paddington, I head for the 1150 service which will take me to Slough, a filthy 166202 has the duty and arrives bang on time and on the fast line platform, providing easy access to 165129 on the Windsor & Eton Branch. The 165 arrives about on time at Central station (1216) and leaves me just 7 minutes to get across town to Riverside station.
Fortunately I make it, just, I'm the last one on and the doors shut right after I board through the first set of doors. It is 450561 and 450543 on this run to Waterloo and I make my way through to the first coach for a quick getaway in London.
At Waterloo things are chaotic, there has clearly been problems of some sort. I had planned to take the 1324 departure, but I have no-idea if I actually got this train or not. I find the train I think is the right one, but it appears empty, The guard of the train on the adjacent platform calls over, his train going right now, so I hop on quickly and away we go. It is 450557 and I get to Clapham Junction in time for the 1338 to Victoria.
It is formed of 377123 and 377118, once again I head to the front for the best exit at the terminus. On arrival it appears my luck is in, the 1353 is in the Adjacent platform and it's my next service. 377466 is in charge and it whisks me to East Croydon. I have to change platforms at Croydon though and miss a train as a result, it's fine though as it would have been an earlier train than planned, I think it must have been running late. My train to London Bridge is the 1417 to Bedford (319454). It arrives at London Bridge on Platform 6 and a quick study of the departure board shows I have a train in five minutes on the same platform. It is 465023 and it is headed to Charing Cross. I arrive at 1443 and my luck is in again, the 1447 back to London Bridge is again on the adjacent platform.
465249 and 465013 are in charge and swiftly(ish) get me back to London Bridge in time for the 1501 to Cannon Street, another 465 (036). Fortune is smiling on me today and another cross platform change sees me leaving on 465193 a minute after the scheduled arrival of 465036. Back at London Bridge I am about 15 minutes ahead of time and decide to catch up with an old friend who now works there. It's been 8 years since we last saw each other and it takes him a few minutes to realise who I am.
I can't stop to chat too long though (I probably could have talked all day), I have to be on the 1530 to St Pancras, 377519 is the first 377/5 I have travelled on and to be honest, I think I prefer the 319s (shhhh!). At St Pancras I have the second, and most obvious, of my two planned walks, across the road to Kings Cross.
I just have time to grab a quick tea and sandwich before boarding the 1606, 365539, for the quick ride to Finsbury Park. The 1618 from Finsbury Park to Moorgate is, rather predictably, a 313, 052 leading another 313 that I never did get the number of. They arrive ever so slightly early into Moorgate and I get the chance to nip across for the 1633 (313042 and 313030) to Highbury and Islington.
Another first for me is a ride on a 378, the 1647 to Stratford is formed of 378234 and it is rammed, there is barely enough room for all the passengers and myself to get on, but clearly they are practiced in the art of using commuter trains. I make a quick change at Stratford onto the 1709 to Liverpool Street, a pair of 315s (848 & 810), and then board the 1722, another pair of 315s (834 & 828), to Romford.
Again I find I am 15 minutes ahead of plan, but my next service is every 30 minutes, so I end up back on time and on board 317513 for the 1811 service to Upminster. I have an almost leisurely 11 minutes at Upminster to get to the 1831 departure for Fenchurch Street, formed of 357203 and 357032. I search around for a departure board at Fenchurch Street to find my next service, the 1902, and discover it is the very units I have just alighted. It departs on time and I alight the train for the second time at Barking.
I head over to the 'Goblin' platform and narrowly miss the 1917, so I have to wait for the 1932, it is my planned train, so no harm done. It arrives in the form of 172008 and is just able to keep to time as it winds it's way across North West London. At Gospel Oak I notice a few people make a dash along the platform and as I get off I notice why, a 378 is approaching, so I join the dash and get onboard 378232, forming the 2010 service, which I leave at Willesden Junction. I note I'm ahead of time again and have a seven minute connection now for a train to Euston, 378228 obliges with an on time departure.
Trouble at Euston
Arrival at Euston was at about ten to nine, a full half hour ahead of schedule. I had planned on getting the 2200 to Manchester Piccadilly as it was the cheapest option for splits between that and the 2140, but the early arrival either meant an hour at Euston or trying to sort an excess fare for use on the 2100 or 2140. I had heard some stories about the Virgin Ticket office here, but I still didn't expect what I got.
The ticket office was rather emptier than I expected and I got to a sales point quite quickly, but the pleasant surprises ended there. I explained that I wanted to get an earlier service and that I had split tickets, I just wanted to excess one of them to get me home. The clerk explained that they couldn't excess splits, "it isn't possible", etc. I tried to explain that I only needed to excess one of my tickets. I showed him the Travelcard, excess to Milton Keynes and the Milton Keynes-Rugby ticket I wanted to excess, telling him I would 'write-off' the other four tickets I had in order to travel earlier.
He wouldn't have it, and then expanded on the validity of my Travelcard and extension ticket. "This isn't valid on Virgin Trains" he claimed, "and so this [extension] ticket isn't because, well, where is Boundary Zone 6? And you shouldn't really have this [extension] ticket because they are only for season tickets". I gave up, and said I'd just wait for the 2200, to which he claimed I'd be challenged about the Travelcard. I only replied I'd take my chances and left the ticket office with my tickets.
I had no intention of waiting around though, I'd speak the Train Manager on the train. It was too late though, it was already 2059, so I searched the departure board again.
Homeward bound
I saw a 2107 to Liverpool, it didn't make all the stops I needed it to for my tickets to be valid, but I could get to Milton Keynes if nothing else, I'd be happy to wait there if nothing fruitful came from the TM, and if all went well I could get to Crewe, there had to be a Manchester bound train from there. The Train Manager was obviously busy and never made it to me to check my tickets before we got to Crewe, it was a bit risky to stay on board, but I figured I had most of the tickets I needed and at worst would have two excess fares to pay to cover the journey.
I left 390020 to search the departure boards at Crewe, sure enough there was an Arriva service timed fifteen minutes later, though it was running late. I had another ticket issue though, I hadn't planned on using the ATW train and had a VT Only ticket. The ticket office at Crewe had seemingly shut a while ago so I had to see the TM onboard about a new ticket.
The Train Manager did not make their way through 158828 on the whole trip to Piccadilly and so I had effectively had a free trip, the ticket office at Piccadilly had long closed for the night and there was no ticket staff around.
I made my way to Piccadilly Gardens to search for the bus home, but having just missed one, I ended up on the tram instead (with a newly purchased ticket from the machine), eventually getting home some five hours before I had to be up for work.
At the end of the day
I'd had a good day really, timings could have been better, maybe I could have made the elusive 'no walking' plan I had in my mind, but that is for another day I guess. The trouble at Euston had left a sour taste in the mouth, but putting that aside I would probably do the trip again some time, maybe with a bigger budget.....
A novel idea for a shake-up of travelcard usage! 
No, but I did pay for a journey, did attempt to pay the correct fare and was prepared to pay the difference on another four occasions. Though to be fair to me, I don't believe I have ever suggested that course of action to anyone else.
